the research and innovation bulletin is distributed weekly every tuesday by the office of research services and includes information on research funding opportunities, events and workshops and updates from our funding partners.
check out the latest version of our bulletin, by clicking here.
the community is invited to learn from the next generation of scholars at this year's graduate student conference, the rita nicholas undergraduate research conference, and the 2nd annual business research showcase. these presentations celebrate emerging researchers at 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜
and give 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛
the opportunity to share their research with peers and the public. the conferences take place on monday, feb. 23 and wednesday, feb. 25 in the agora.
thunder bay, ont. - 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 is hosting its annual research & innovation week from february 21 to 27, celebrating 60 years of faculty and student-led research with the theme of “shaping the evolution: our next-gen transformative research”.
there are various talks and activities happening throughout the week that will be of interest for all ages.
“we want people to see and experience how 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 is making an impact in their community,” explained dr. langis roy, vice-president research and innovation. “every project, experiment, and study completed by our 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 and faculty leads to a real-world impact–locally or globally.”
this year holds special significance for dr. roy. “i’m thrilled to participate in my first research & innovation week to show our community how people here at lakehead are solving important societal challenges by bridging our traditional areas of research with future-focused technologies like ai. it’s an honour to highlight the vital work of our faculty, 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 , and partners.”
it all starts on saturday, feb. 21 at the intercity shopping centre. in partnership with science north, lakehead presents science carnival where families can explore the exciting world of research, including science, technology, engineering, health, and social sciences, through hands-on activities, interactive booths, and live entertainment. the fun runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
then, on monday, feb. 23 at 12 p.m., lakehead welcomes dr. atif shamim, professor of electrical and computer engineering and tech entrepreneur at king abdullah university of science and technology in saudi arabia, for the keynote talk, “printing the future.” dr. shamim’s presentation will explore not only how eco-friendly advances in printable electronics are changing the way we design and use technology in everyday life, but also how this field could be transformative for thunder bay’s regional economic development. registration is required for this talk.
on tuesday, feb. 24 at 4 p.m., dr. pauline sameshima, faculty of education, will host a guided tour of lakehead’s new juried and featured art in the centre of advanced studies in engineering and sciences (cases). select artists will be present to discuss how the arts can engage, provoke, and share research. the public is also invited to view other exhibition gallery spaces in lakehead international and the bora laskin education building.
you’ll be able to learn from the next generation of scholars at the graduate student conference on monday, feb. 23, and the rita nicholas undergraduate research conference and 2nd annual business research showcase on wednesday, feb. 25 in the agora.
on thursday, feb. 26 from 2 to 3 p.m. in the cases atrium, distinguished researcher and canada research chair in indigenous mental health and addiction, dr. chris mushquash, will lead a discussion on how indigenous community-based research in mental health and addiction can support improvements to systems and services. to attend virtually, please register.
the week will close on friday, feb. 27 with a citystudio guided tour of the centennial botanical conservancy from 1 to 3 p.m. a collaborative partnership with the city of thunder bay supported the renewal of the shared civic space.
everyone is invited to campus for these and many other engaging presentations, inspiring speakers, and interactive workshops. for a full list of events, visit www.hsbcwebinars.com/ri.
as a child, dr. juho-antti junno devoured encyclopedias, gravitating toward stories of exploration, history and especially human evolution.
“an early memory i have is of visiting the local library and asking the staff to show me books about expeditions and voyages” he recalls.
now an associate professor at the university of oulu in finland, dr. junno’s work sits at the crossroads of bioarchaeology, anatomy, forensic medicine, and primatology.
he is also the recently appointed chair in finnish studies at lakehead’s thunder bay campus.
his research philosophy is guided less by rigid plans than by curiosity.
“i get excited about new research ideas quite easily,” dr. junno says. “so, if someone is suggesting, ‘hey, we should do this.’ or “can you help with this project” i’m like, ‘okay, let’s do it.’”
this openness has allowed dr. junno’s work to cross disciplinary boundaries and uncover unexpected connections.
his recent foray into forensic pathology—a combination of archaeological and biological anthropology studies combined with experimental forensic medicine—was sparked by a conversation with a medical student and frequent research collaborator.
“i come from generations of farmers and hunters, so i’m quite familiar with ballistics, but i’d never utilized this background in academia,” he explains.
one of their most recent collaborations was an experimental study on the political assassination of king charles xii of sweden during the siege of fredriksten in 1718.
using a synthetic skull phantom, a 19.5 mm musket ball, 10 gauge shotgun, a replica of an old cannon and some modern day radiological imaging, the team recreated the head injuries suffered by the king to determine if he’d been killed by enemy fire or his own men.
since his early 20s, dr. junno has travelled the world—from arnhem land, northern territory in australia to zimbabwe—writing and connecting with people about his two favourite subjects: hunting and farming.
in fact, his writing can be found in major finnish magazines such as käytännön maamies and metsästys & kalastus.
“the easiest way to learn about a topic is to do research, in this case not academic research, but by speaking to people, and let them share their knowledge” he says.
“in a couple of hours you will know almost everything about a specific topic especially if you’re talking to farmers who’re always eager to discuss their work and are proud of what they do.”
dr. junno brings that same perspective to thunder bay and his role as the 13th chair in finnish studies at lakehead.
like most finns, he has ties with the finnish-canadian community. the farmhouse where he’s currently living was built in the late 19th century by a finnish man who had worked in copper mines in the great lakes region, and several of dr. junno’s neighbours have emigrated to canada and visit their former homeland in the summertime.
his interest in finnish heritage and rural culture drew dr. junno to this region, where he plans to study agricultural history, hunting traditions, and the ways finnish settlers reshaped the landscape.
“i’m interested to visit old finnish homesteads, areas that finnish farmers transformed from forest to agricultural land, and talk to people who still remember those early times or at least stories of them,” he explains. “for example, i would like to gain understanding how finnish hunting traditions were affected when they came to thunder bay—did they maintain what they were doing back home or did they adapt to canadian hunting culture?”
the chair in finnish studies conducts research, develops partnerships, and lectures at the undergraduate level. the chair also gives public lectures and presentations and undertakes research contributing to the intellectual life of 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 and the finnish community in northwestern ontario.
dr. junno will hold the endowed chairship until may 2026.
if 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 hate to miss your classes, that's a sign you're doing well as a professor.
and if a student compares missing a class to "abandoning a once-in-a-lifetime voyage aboard a golden airship," that's a sign that your professor is dr. kathryn walton.
with that kind of praise, it's fitting that she received her second lakehead contribution to teaching award in november 2025 (she was granted her first award in 2021).
one student described dr. walton as "lakehead orillia's very own english-focused ms. frizzle. she's just missing the anthropomorphic chameleon and the magic bus."
this is a very special honour because it is 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 who nominate instructors for these awards, and it's their votes that determine who wins.
dr. walton, a professor in the english department at lakehead orillia, teaches sought-after courses in medieval literature, children's literature, and the history of english literature.
literary magic, in particular, is one of her specializations. she's currently working on a book called literary magic in medieval england to be published by the academic press boydell & brewer.
"that wonder, that excitement and engagement with the unreal and the supernatural in medieval literature has definitely influenced today's contemporary literature," she says.
a lifelong lover of reading, dr. walton says her interest in the link between medieval literature and children's literature was sparked during her undergraduate studies.
"i was just absolutely fascinated by the way in which contemporary literary works have deep roots in the medieval era."
heroes, quests, journeys, and magic that are common hallmarks of both forms of literature. pseudo-medieval worlds—think narnia, middle earth, and hogwarts—abound in children's literature.
above is the lincoln's inn ms 150 manuscript created c. 1400. it features a mix of religious and romance texts from the medieval period. dr. walton discusses this book in her class literary magic in medieval england.
in the middle ages, many literary works were conveyed orally, rather than written, so they're constructed in a way that appeals to the ear. children's literature is similar, she points out.
but children's literature is unique in that it offers compelling and brilliantly written stories that are also easy to understand.
"that's incredibly powerful," dr. walton says. "most people can remember books that they read as kids much better than they can remember anything they've read as an adult."
dr. walton accepts her 2025 contribution to teaching award. left to right: social sciences and humanities dean dr. glenda bonifacio, dr. kathyn walton, lakehead orillia principal dr. linda rodenburg, and social sciences and humanities dean dr. jennifer jarman.
a mastery of middle english, old english, and latin is essential for any expert in medieval literature. of the three, middle english is the closest to modern english.
"i tell my 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 to squint and ignore the extra vowels," she laughs.
being proficient in these languages allows dr. walton to bring more insight to her classes.
"reading texts in the original language is invaluable. it helps readers appreciate a specific poetic structure that doesn't come through in translation, and grasp the culture of the time through archaic words."
freke, for instance, means "knight."
getting 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 fired up about diverse forms of literature drives dr. walton's teaching approach.
"i give 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 a lot of space to talk about what they're interested in and what they find good or bad about whatever we're reading," she explains.
"then i give them the historical context to understand the text and to inspire them to make new connections—to themselves and to the material."
"in contemporary literature, magic is often splashy, with fireworks and explosions while in medieval literature, magic is more subtle but infused with a sense of wonder," dr. walton says. right, a 13th-century illustration of merlin dictating his prophecies to his scribe, blaise.
ingenious assignments further enrich 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 ' comprehension.
for example, she'll ask 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 to transcribe a character from children's literature, such as peter pan, into contemporary realist fiction to show how the character would operate in the modern world.
"this allows them to use their brains in a different way because to write a character, you really have to know them."
or, 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 may try their hand at writing a sonnet, sixteenth-century style, to truly come to grips with this form of poetry.
dr. walton's imaginative and immersive teaching continues to win her new fans, as well as contribution to teaching awards.
"it's always extremely rewarding to know that 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 value my teaching and the experiences that they have in my classroom," she says.
if you'd like to dive into medieval or children's literature, dr. walton recommends: the marrow thieves by cherie dimaline, the legendborn series by tracy deonn, the canterbury tales by geoffrey chaucer, and the poem sir gawain and the green knight.
bianca zussino has received a mccall macbain regional award—joining a select group of high-achieving university 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 from across the country.
"this honour shows me that anyone can be a leader if you do something you're passionate about," she says.
this year, bianca ranked among the top 90 of more than 700 canadian applicants for the mccall macbain regional award. "i hope to further explore the intersection of clinical medicine, research, and patient-centred care," she says.
the award recognizes 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 who have demonstrated exceptional character, community engagement, leadership potential, entrepreneurial spirit, academic strength, and intellectual curiosity.
bianca is in her fourth year of lakehead's honours bachelor of science program, where she majors in biology and neuroscience. her goal is to become a doctor.
she's thrilled to have won the $5,000 award and will use it to help fund her graduate studies. bianca is particularly interested in gastroenterology, which treats conditions of the stomach, intestines, and esophagus.
she was drawn to this field by a healthcare crisis she faced.
"when i was in grade 9, with no warning, i began experiencing extreme nausea and vomiting," bianca says.
doctors were baffled by her condition and a proper diagnosis was hampered by the lack of specialists in thunder bay.
"i never thought of myself as a leader as a kid," bianca says. "i wasn't very outgoing, but the more i began volunteering in the community, the more confident i became." left, bianca helps prepare a meal at the dew drop inn soup kitchen.
the next four years were a nightmare for bianca. she was in and out of hospital, suffering from medical crises.
at one point, she was airlifted to a london hospital where she had a catheter inserted into a vein near her heart to get enough nutrition into her body.
eventually, it was discovered that bianca's stomach wasn't emptying properly. only surgery in the united states helped alleviate her condition.
"my parents and i had to do a lot of advocacy to get treatment," she says.
after bianca recovered from her illness, she made a resolution.
she would become a neurogastroenterology specialist and researcher based in thunder bay, so that other northwestern ontarians wouldn't have to suffer the way she had.
bianca started contacting medical institutions to see if she could join their research teams.
she's now been a neurogastroenterology research intern with harvard medical school and massachusetts general hospital for two years.
through her collaboration with massachusetts general and harvard, bianca has written five research articles released in publications such as the american journal of gastroenterology and gastrointestinal endoscopy.
"working with harvard has been incredible," bianca says.
"i spent the first eight weeks of my internship shadowing physicians at massachusetts general hospital in boston. i was able to see how clinical decisions are made and observe endoscopic procedures."
she's also been busy conducting gut motility disorder research with the team in boston, and some of her work has been published in medical research journals.
back home, bianca has been fostering healthcare research in northwestern ontario.
she belongs to the compass north clinic—run by the northern ontario school of medicine university and lakehead 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 —and recently became their lu branch research lead.
bianca's contributions to her community go well beyond research.
she coordinates the thunder bay chapter of let's talk science, which inspires youngsters to consider careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
bianca manages a team of about 50 educators and volunteers as the thunder bay let's talk science coordinator. "we send volunteers into local schools to give presentations and do fun stem activities." above, bianca speaks to local elementary 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 .
as a patient family advisor at the thunder bay regional health sciences centre, bianca shares patient perspectives on health care and advocates for change. while at st. joseph's care group, she volunteers with their elder life program.
"when my great-grandmother was a patient at st. joseph's, i saw people who didn't have many visitors, and it broke my heart," she says.
this spurred bianca to begin visiting seniors every week to provide support.
"i've gained as much as i've given—i've had the privilege of learning about their lives and the challenges they've overcome."
bianca's volunteer work with the children's aid society, as both a math tutor and a baby cuddler, is also close to her heart.
"most of the babies i cuddle are in the neonatal intensive care unit. they've been through a lot in their short lives, so it's wonderful to be able to comfort them."
congratulations on your mccall macbain regional award, bianca! we're proud to have such an inspirational healthcare advocate in our community.
the mccall macbain scholarships are the result of a landmark $200 million gift in 2019, then the largest single donation in canadian history, by john and marcy mccall macbain. more information about the mccall macbain scholarships can be found at mccallmacbainscholars.org.
as a kid, my parents would tell me, "you always stand up for the underdog," abbygayle welch says.
her natural compassion has only grown stronger over the years.
abbygayle received an entrance scholarship to lakehead and has been on the dean's list for four years in a row. above, her parents watch abbygayle sign a contract to join the lakehead's varsity women's soccer team.
"social justice is really important to me because it helps people who don't have a voice get the resources they need," abbygayle explains.
this spring, she will graduate from lakehead orillia with an honours bachelor of arts and science in criminology.
"studying criminology has allowed me to better understand society and the true consequences of crime, including the toll it takes on both victims and offenders."
abbygayle is already thinking about how she can continue on her path of fostering a world where everybody thrives.
she recently applied to lakehead's master of social justice studies (ma in socj) program, which has just been launched on the orillia campus.
it was first established on the thunder bay campus in 2016.
"the program attracts great 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 who care about people and the planet," says social justice studies student advisor dr. kevin brooks.
"it gives them a transformative education by teaching them to analyze disparities and take action to change them."
abbygayle is considering going to law school after completing a master's degree so that she can improve the justice system at the policy level.
the broad interdisciplinary framework of lakehead's master of social justice studies degree sets it apart from those offered by other universities.
it gives graduates the tools to advocate, organize, research, and lead in complex social justice spaces. and master of social justice studies alumni have gone on to make an impact in the health, education, social services, legal, technology, and environmental sectors.
it's also a very flexible degree since a significant number of the classes are available online.
this means that it works for everyone—whether it's a well-established career professional wanting to expand their competencies or a student, like abby, who's just graduating from university.
abbygayle's determination to help others took on a new focus in high school.
"i became passionate about social justice after my grade 11 law class teacher showed us a documentary about archie williams."
williams is an american man who was falsely imprisoned for 37 years. it was only through the work of a nonprofit called the innocence project that he was finally freed.
"the trauma he endured really stuck with me," she says. "archie's story changed what i wanted to do with my life."
abbygayle's grandmother emigrated from hungary and worked for a lawyer in oshawa. "she would've liked to become a lawyer herself," abby says. "i want to help her live her dream through me." above, abbygayle and her grandparents celebrate the catholic education foundation of ontario award she won in 2022.
her interest in the challenges faced by the incarcerated has persisted.
for her lakehead honours thesis, abbygayle is assessing two orillia justice services that provide support to individuals who are involved with the law.
it's part of a larger research project being conducted by her faculty supervisor, interdisciplinary studies professor dr. debra mackinnon.
"we want to pinpoint the gaps in these justice services and propose strategies to help them improve," abbygayle says.
abbygayle (above) was recruited to play on lakehead's varsity soccer team. "i toured the orillia campus and fell in love. it was such a vibrant space and i knew that i wanted to be at a university that's close to nature."
since high school, abbygayle has spent her summers working for their opportunity.
it's a sports charity that delivers and subsidizes children's sports programs, such as basketball and soccer camps, in underserved communities.
"i love being involved in sports and working with kids," she says.
she's a perfect fit for their opportunity—abbygayle has played soccer since she was four years old and is a member of the lakehead women's varsity soccer team.
being involved with a sports charity has allowed her to actively engage in social justice.
"i will always remember the mom who came up to me to let me know what a good role model i've been to her daughter," abbygayle says.
"seeing what a difference it makes to kids when they have someone on their side has shown me what we can achieve when we work together."
are you interested in fostering social justice and laying the foundation for a meaningful career with non-profits, governments, or community partners? then click here to learn more about lakehead orillia's master of social justice studies degree.
check out our february e-blast! find news updates, education offerings, and resources all in one place: https://conta.cc/4k5foug
earlier this month, the 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 psychology community clinic received $25,000 in funding from bell let’s talk to enhance its service offerings and expand access to psychological care across northern ontario.
the clinic provides lower-cost psychological assessment and evidence-based treatments delivered by ma and phd trainees in clinical psychology, under the supervision of registered psychologists. 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 is the only doctoral training program in clinical psychology in northern ontario and responsible for training 80 per cent of psychologists in the region.
building on the success of a previous bell let’s talk partnership, which provided over 200 lower cost therapy sessions to health and social service workers in northern ontario, the new funding will support the clinic’s efforts to extend evidence-based outreach and consultation services into the community. by reaching people where they live and work, this initiative aims to improve access to care and empower helpers to support both their clients and themselves.
chemistry and materials science phd student jasna kallepuram pareed received first prize in the student poster contest at the northern ontario ag conference in sudbury, ontario. the research work was performed at luars with the help of dr. sahota and dr. kaur.
jasna's poster was titled "optimization of fertilizer use in agriculture fields using raman and near-field spectroscopy".
congratulations to jasna for excellent work in the field of near-field spectroscopy!
thunder bay and orillia, ont. - 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 is expanding its footprint in downtown barrie with the addition of 5 ross street as a second location for the barrie stem hub, opening later this year.
beginning in fall 2026, 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 will study for in-demand careers in engineering or computer science at the stem hub’s two locations downtown: 24 maple avenue and 5 ross street.
“this marks another incredible milestone for 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 , as we continue to establish our university presence in barrie,” said dr. gillian siddall, president and vice-chancellor. “with the support of mayor alex nuttall and the city of barrie, we are building a modern, purpose-built environment for our 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 that is perfectly designed for hands-on learning and applied research.”
the new location at 5 ross street will support flexible classrooms and active learning spaces, student services and social spaces, as well as graduate student offices. the first floor at 24 maple avenue will house specialized research and teaching laboratories, including multiple advanced labs focused on motors and robotics, machines, instrumentation, and mechatronics.
“we are providing high-quality classrooms, high-tech labs, student services spaces, and social areas that our 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 deserve, right from the start,” she said, noting the finalized academic plan for the barrie stem hub includes 27,200 sq. ft. of teaching, learning and research space.
as one of the fastest growing municipalities in ontario and one of the few among the 25 urban growth centres in the greater golden horseshoe without a university campus, barrie mayor alex nuttall is happy to see this unique partnership come to fruition.
“the expansion of 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 ’s presence downtown is a major win for barrie,” said mayor alex nuttall. “this second stem hub location not only brings new energy to our core, but also enhances the student experience by creating vibrant, modern spaces to learn, collaborate, and connect. it’s an investment in our 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 , our businesses, and the future of our city.”
together with georgian college, 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 is re-energizing the downtown core and building an interconnected ecosystem where 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 can study locally for in-demand careers in engineering, mechatronics, and computer science. “by creating new pathways for local learners and new talent pipelines for local employers, we are helping build a stronger, more resilient regional economy,” explained dr. siddall.
in december 2024, the city of barrie council approved a plan to partner with lakehead to bring the stem (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) hub to downtown barrie. delivering engineering and computer science programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels, the stem hub will create a pipeline of skilled workers ready to join in-demand industries, especially in stem fields.
the barrie stem hub will open in fall 2026. applications are now open.
find out more at www.hsbcwebinars.com/about/barrie-stem-hub.
